The Guardians II: Part One
by D.D. Heal
Summary: Months passed since the Dark Gods were defeated. Now, a new evil rises as Ben and team face new challenges, betrayal and sacrifice. Also, Ben must face his personal demons.
1. Chapter 1

One

At Betrayal's Heart

The bridge stood silent as Eon and Seth arrive. They look at the planet on the viewing screen. An X'Andi general walks up to Eon. "My lord, we have arrived at Revonnah. The world is in a desirable strategic location. Capturing the planet will making invading either Earth or Galvan Prime a lot easier," he said.

Eon looks at Seth and he nods. "Launch the invasion fleet. I'll be in the lab if you need me." He heads over to the lab. In the lab, he meets up with the diagnostic drone. "I need a update report," Eon said.

"Very well, the genetic modifications we're making to Julie is going along nicely. And it appears using Paradox to charge the Arc Cube is working. Also, the Star of Okath has reassembled," it replied.

"So close to the end," he said.

"How long do you think this alliance will last? Because it'll end with your death," a prisoner asked.

Eon walks up to the cage and looks down at Alonso Juarez. "I tend to see this alliance through, Doctor. You started it all those years ago and it was you who made this possible," Eon answered.

"I was a fool, a naive fool who believed he can master both time and space. I was wrong and it brought about unwanted attention from all sides. Even Paradox doesn't deserve this," Alonso said.

"But it's the only way," he said.

"Are you sure?" Alonso asked.

Eon doesn't give him a reply, instead he leaves the lab. Back on Earth, I entered an empty ballpark, looking at the old scoreboard while the stars lit up the night sky. Gwen finds me there and she walks up to me.

"Still no word from Julie?" she asked.

"No, I sent a dozen messages explaining to her, the baby is not mine. All Molly came to say when she visited me is she wants me to become the godfather to her child," I answered.

"Well, nobody's perfect. Her parents called and they're worried. They haven't seen her for a week. The police have issued an ABP for her," she said.

"Thanks, I should probably head home. It's getting late," I said. We left the ballpark and went our separate ways. At the Mystery Men Mansion, Blake was analysing some intel when Trent entered the room.

"How long have you been here?" Trent asked.

"Eight o'clock this morning," Blake answered.

"You look tired. Should you be getting home?" Trent asked.

"I would, but the plumbing over at my house has been a problem. My wife already called for a plumber and they said it'll take them a day or two to get the problem fixed. So I'm bunking out here until further notice," he answered.

"Have you found any other intel?" Trent asked.

"Nothing useful, given the Sliders covered their tracks before being shut down. It turned out they knew Ben was going to receive the Omnitrix and they were devising plans to make sure he didn't receive it. However, they were reminded that Ben's life and existence is a fixed point in time," Blake answered.

"I thought fixed points in time were pure speculative fiction," Trent said.

"That's what I thought until I found this video. This was taken from a parallel Earth and this looks all familiar. It's the experiment that gave Solaris her powers, but it didn't succeed due to sabotage. Then ripples began appearing, causing all sorts of temporal damage to the timeline," he said.

"I guess that's one myth busted. I'm heading home, see you tomorrow," Trent said.

Trent then leaves the mansion. Over at a house, Molly decorates the bedroom for the baby as Carter enters the room. "You're sure it's a good idea to paint the room green?" Carter asked.

"Well, the doctor did say it could be either a boy or a girl. So I'm painting the room green," Molly answered.

Carter notices the look on Molly's face. "There's no way you could've known Julie's reaction. At least Ben is going to be the godfather of our kid," Carter said.

"I don't know. I wish things could've turned out different, you know," she said.

"I know, I know," he said.

On Revonnah, a group of Revonnahgander farmers were harvesting the fruit and putting it into baskets. Above the skies, the Hyperion enters the skyline and several ships flew in. They destroyed and a few land on the ground, deploying troops to begin the invasion. At a farm, Da, along with Rook's brother and Rayona entered the barn as it burns.

"Take the pod to Earth. Find Blonko and Ben and tell them what's happening," Da said.

"I won't leave you, Dad," the child said.

"I know you're scared, but as your father. You must do as I say. Now go!" Both the child and Rayona get into pod, the pods launches and it left Revonnah. "Pray to the goddess," he said.

Back on Earth, Ken walks out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. He notices Sylvia at work, writing lyrics on some paper. "Working already? I thought you were rebuilding your life," Ken said.

"I am. I'm writing songs for an album I was working on. I never got to the recording booth," Sylvia said.

"You were on the verge of a record deal?" he asked.

"I was, I was so close to signing a deal with Capitol Records. Then all of the sudden, Third Eye launches a rocket and I end sacrificing my life. I was lucky," she answered.

"You were, but I think we should wait until what the courts say. After all, you've been dead for nearly seventy years," he said.

"I know," she said.

Ken leaves the apartment and heads downstairs to check the mail. He heads up and gives Sylvia a letter. She opens it and reads it. "What does it say?" he asked.

"The courts have changed my status from deceased to living. I guess I owe them a lot of tax," she said.

"Knowing Eli, he'll pull some strings to make sure you're tax free." They heard something, looked out the window and notice something falling out of the sky. "Did you see that?" he asked.

"Yeah and it may hit Washington in the next few minutes," she answered.

Sometime later, Dr. Nexus and Solaris head over to where the object crashed. They land on the ground and walked up to a police officer. "What happened?" Solaris asked.

"Some object fell out of the sky. I thought it was a satellite, but it looked like a ship," the police officer answered.

Dr. Nexus enters the impact area. He inspects the ship and he places his hand on it. "It came from Revonnah," Dr. Nexus said.

"Revonnah?" Solaris said.

"It's planet somewhere in a nearby galaxy. It's inhabited by the Revonnahganders, they're mostly farmers. Except for one, Rook Blonko and I'm sensing two life forms in the pod," he answered.

He opens the door and Rayona and Rook's brother got out. "Where are we?" Rayona asked.

"Earth," Solaris answered.

"I must get to Ben, he must know," she said.

"Know what?" Solaris asked.

"That the man with the purple skull face has invaded Revonnah," she answered.

"Eon. Its apparent Ben needs to know about this and we need to call the other Guardians. We may be dealing with an intergalactic emergency," Dr. Nexus said.

Later at Plumber Headquarters, Rayona and the child are having a meal as Max and I watched. Rook arrives soon after. "What's happened?" Rook asked.

"I don't know how to put this, but your home world has been invaded," Max answered.

Rook is shocked to hear this. "Invaded? By whom?" he asked.

"Eon," I answered.

He becomes devastated when he learns of this. He walks up to the table and sits opposite them. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Rayona gets up and hugs him. "Oh Blonko, you have no idea." Rayona then sits back down. "We were able to escape Revonnah by using the pod you provided. Only me and your brother got out. The rest I don't want to talk about," she cried.

"They got mama and papa. The reptilian creatures took our sisters. I saw them in chains and being loaded into cages," the child said.

"What did the reptilian's look like?" he asked.

"They were scaly and had black eyes with red pupils," the child answered.

Max walks up to them. "It sounds like the X'Andi," Max said.

"That name rings a bell. They were responsible for burning Ledger Domain to the ground. Did you see any androids?" I asked.

"Yeah, all of them were wearing purple uniforms. Also, two of them were the generals. One had a crimson jacket and a hood on. It had no eyes and a pure silver face," the child answered.

"That sounds like Deviation. What about the other general, was it Eon?" I asked.

"No, her skin was all grey and it looked like she was modified," the child answered.

"I was able to get a good look at the other general. I'm also a good sketch artist. I'll provide you a sketch," Rayona said.

"Thank you," Max said.

"If you don't mind, I would like to be with my family," Rook said.

"Not at all." We left the room and head up to the command centre. We met up with the other Plumbers and Guardians. "Patelliday, what've you got on the situation?" Max asked.

"All of it not good. With the X'Andi invading Revonnah, it puts them in a strategic position to invade Earth at any time," Patelliday said.

"Or a number of planets. Telos Seven is nearby and Galvan Prime is also outside that sector," Trent said.

"My guess, either Galvan Prime or Earth could be the target," Max said.

"Something doesn't add up, why Revonnah? According to the readings, the planet itself is mostly farmland. Plus, it doesn't have any military bases or scientific resources," Blake said.

"With the X'Andi taking the female Revonnahganders and children as slaves, who's to say that they started making improvements," Dr. Nexus said.

"With this invasion, they just declared war," Carter said.

"On that I agree, the Supreme Commander has been informed. Also, the Intergalactic Nations are attending a summit about what to do with Eon and the X'Andi," Max said.

"That could take a while," I said.

"Did the survivors get a good look at the ships?" Trent asked.

"There was a media blackout in the area at the time. But we did get access to the Pisces satellite orbiting a nearby moon. We were able to get some good pictures." Patelliday places the photos on the table; Trent picks up them up and looks at them. "We were able to identify the X'Andi ships. But we couldn't identify the big one because it wasn't in the databases," Patelliday answered.

Trent puts the photos back on the table. "So we got no idea who the big ship belongs to. What now?" Carter asked.

"We wait, given that the X'Andi has invaded Revonnah. There's no telling where this'll go next. Nexus, did you find any else about the Elder Ones?" Blake asked.

"Not a lot. All of their secrets, artefacts, gone just like that," he answered.

"So we got no idea what Eon or his benefactor are after. So we're back at square one, except he's conquered Revonnah and it puts them in a strategic position to take over either Earth of Galvan Prime. To him, it's a like a chess game. The difference is his benefactor is the king, while Eon is the bishop," Blake said.

"What makes you say that?" Carter asked.

"The X'Andi and the androids are the pawns, while the other pieces are filled out by his generals. It'll be a matter of time before either of us makes a move. Eon has moved his piece into the position. Now it's our turn," Blake said.

Over at the Outreach Facility, Legion wakes up after having a nightmare. A Special Projects agent enters his cell with a tray in his hands. "Morning, had a bad nightmare, I see," he said.

"Where's Annie?" Legion asked.

"Oh her, she's on vacation. The General insisted on her to take some time away from Outreach," he answered.

Legion gets up from his bed and attacks the guard. He renders the guard unconscious. "It's nothing personal." He picks up the guard's id and key card. "I just need to get out for some fresh air, that's all," Legion said.

He walks up to the door, inserts the key card into the slot and he opens the door. Legion leaves the cell as the guard wakes up. The guard sees what's going on and he gets his radio. "We got a code red. Legion has escaped. I repeat, Legion has escaped," the guard said.

The alarms went off the moment Legion left his cell. In the cargo bay, Legion makes it to the area when a squad of Special Projects agents and Plumbers surround him. "Hold it right there, Legion! Put your hands up and return to your cell!" one of the Plumbers yelled.

"I don't think so," Legion said.

He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opens them up, his eyes were black with purple pupils. He then escapes from the facility by teleportation. "Huh, where did he go?" a Special Projects agent wondered.

Later that evening, Trent was sitting in his lounge at his home. He was having a drink when I entered the room. "Nice house," I said.

"I've heard the news. If having to deal with Eon was bad enough. Now there's a wild card on the loose. We can't have that kind of diversion right now," Trent said.

"Both Special Projects and the Plumbers are conducting manhunts to find Legion," I said.

"We'll find him, Ben. Let's hope it'll be quick," Trent said.

I left the house. Outside, my mind had more questions than answers. All the sudden, time stood still and I notice a man sitting in a futuristic hove chair.

"And you are?" I asked.

"My name is Aeon and I'm a Light God. I'm one of the survivors from the Infinity War," Aeon answered.

"I've seen my fair share of gods. Why have you frozen time?" I asked.

"I come with bad news. Your friend, Prof. Paradox has been captured by Eon," he answered.

I was devastated to hear this. "Captured? But he's smarter not to get captured," I said.

"I know. In order to defeat both Eon and his ally, you need to learn how to control the Burst Mode," he said.

"When I last entered into that state. I felt an uncontrollable urge to kill all of my enemies," I said.

"That I'm aware. But fear not, someone from your past will help you and he may save your life. We will meet again," he said.

Time resumed after Aeon disappears. I returned home soon after. Morning came as I woke up. I head downstairs and I notice the answering machine beeping. I pressed the play button and listened to the message.

"Hey Ben, its Carter. Rex and Dania have arrived and we're debriefing them on the current situation. Feel free to fly over to the Mystery Men Mansion when you're ready," Carter said.

Sometime later, I arrived at the mansion and entered the conference room. Rex is excited to learn he's got a seat at the conference table. "This is so cool. I got a seat and it's got my logo on it. Hey Ben, it's been a while. I like the new Omnitrix," Rex said.

"Thanks Rex. It's good to see you're keeping in shape and congratulations on solving the EVO problem," I said.

"Thanks," Rex said.

We took our seats at the table. "Good morning. Let's start with some good news. As some of you already know. Molly is taking maternity leave. She's currently expecting her first child in five months time. And Carter is delighted and proud," Trent said.

Everyone gave Carter a round of applause. "There's no need. I'm just proud to become a first time father. It wasn't easy, but I've finally earned," Carter said.

"Also, I took Molly's offer to be the godfather to the kid," I said.

"Glad to hear it," Carter said.

"Trust me, Carter. Being a dad isn't an easy job," Blake said.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said.

"Now onto the bad news. Last night, Legion broke out of his cell and escaped the Outreach facility," Trent said.

Everyone is shocked to hear this. "What? It nearly took everything we had to defeat him," Dania said.

"I know. With Eon still out there. There's no telling what Legion has got planned and more importantly. If he still under Dark Sai's influence," Trent said.

"I doubt he'll go down that easily," Rex said.

"Doesn't Legion leave traces of dark energy every time he uses his powers," Carter said.

"That was different. Recently, those traces are long gone. So there's no way of tracking him now," Blake said.

"First Eon and now Legion is on the loose. There's no telling which one will strike first," Dr. Nexus said.

"We should focus on dealing with Eon first. Then we'll deal with Legion later. Also, Legion is pretty much powerless," I said.

"Not true, when I visited him last. Some of his power began to return to him slowly. How much of it remains to be seen," Blake said.

"That's not good." My cell phone rang. "Excuse me; I need to take this call." I left the room, I get my cell phone out and I answer it. It was Julie. "Julie, where are you?" I asked.

"It's Eon, he's kidnapped me and he's holding me hostage," she answered.

"Julie, it's okay. I'll come and rescue. Then we need to talk, about everything," I reassured her.

"I'm at the old McCallum Factory in Bellwood. Hurry Ben!" she yelled.

She hung up. I put the cell phone away and left the mansion. I used the Omnitrix to change into Jetray and flew back to Bellwood. At the factory, I entered the building, I stepped on some sludge. The sludge moves all of the sudden and Sludge appears. "Sludge, I should've known. Now where's Julie?" I asked.

"Tough luck, chump. I ain't got her. But at least I got you," Sludge answered.

He grabs me and throws across the room. I changed into Four Arms. "You know, the Gauntlet will be disappointed," I said.

"I ain't afraid of him," he said.

He picks me up and throws me across the room again. I land on my back when Black Knight attacks me. I dodge out of the way and got up. Sludge, Lord Zero, Black Knight, Deviation and another villain made their way towards me. "Oh boy, I hate super villain team ups," I said.

"Five against one, I like those odds," Sludge said.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"We've already fulfilled Eon's request and he's awarded us with the opportunity to take you down. The man in the helmet is Van Rook, a clone based on the late mercenary," Lord Zero answered.

"I won't ask again. Where is Julie?" I yelled.

"Oh she's here and she wants to meet you. Say hello to the new and improved Julie," Lord Zero answered.

They got out of the way as I see Julie. I was shocked and devastated to see what they did to her. "What have you monsters done?" I shouted.

"We didn't do anything. You did by breaking her heart. She was devastated when she caught you cheating with Molly Granger. Eon offered her the opportunity to get her revenge on you," Black Knight answered.

Now then, shall we end this before the Guardians arrive?" Lord Zero asked.

"Let's," Sludge answered.

All the sudden, I lost the will to fight as backed to the wall. "How could you do this, Julie? How could you let that monster manipulate and lie to you?" I cried.

"You made me this way when you chose that blonde over me. How does it feel to know what betrayal is like because it hurts. Now die!" Julie said.

The Gauntlet smashes his way through the wall and lands a punch against Sludge. The other Guardians entered the building. "How did you find me?" I asked.

"Doc sensed a disturbance. Who would've it belonged to these clowns," Carter said.

"We don't know why you're doing this or why you lot are working for Eon. But this ends now," Dr. Nexus said.

"Stand down or we'll be force to use extreme violence," the Mighty Rider said.

"You can't hurt Julie," I said.

Carter recognises her. "Oh man, Eon really did a number on you. Is all that genetic modification worth it?" he asked.

"You tell, given that she cheated on you," Julie said.

"Wait, what?" Carter asked.

All of villains go in for the attack and the other Guardians began to fight them, except for me. Solaris and Dr. Nexus were fighting Lord Zero when they noticed me cowering in the corner. "Okay, what wrong with Ben?" Solaris asked.

He reads my mind. "He's lost the will to fight. Eon planned this. Without Ben, we're done for," he answered.

"Go, I got Lord Zero," she said.

Dr. Nexus flies over to me as I cower. "Ben, snap out of it! Ben! Ben!" he shouted.

"I can't, I can't," I cried.

Julie walks up to them, Dr. Nexus stands up. "I can't believe you're willing to do this. Ben is your lover." He reads her and is shocked by what he saw. "You were there on Revonnah. You were the other general. You betrayed everything to Eon. Are you that blind?" he yelled.

"Ben taught me a lesson: that there's no such thing as a happy ending," she answered.

Portals began to open up. The X'Andi and the androids armies began to flood the area and surround us. "Well, I guess the odds are back in our favour. Surrender now and your lives will be spared," Lord Zero demanded.

We regrouped. "This isn't good," Dania said.

"They got us at a disadvantage," Rex said.

"We will not be bartered with, Sebastian," the Mighty Rider said.

"It's unfortunate. Eon could've gave you lot a planet to rule once he achieves his goal. Now you must die," Lord Zero said.

A flock of crows fly into the building and they grouped together. They take form and revealed themselves to be Legion. "Oh boy, as if we got enough problems. Now Legion shows up and he may want to finish us off," Rex said.

Legion goes in for the attack and fights the X'Andi and android troops. He works his way towards the villains, defeating both Sludge and Van Rook. "Okay, this is unexpected," Carter said.

He makes his way towards Lord Zero, Black Knight and Julie. "Well now, this is new," Legion said.

"And you are?" Black Knight asked.

"My name is Legion, the last Dark God," he answered.

"Ah yes, the kid who nearly destroyed the entire multiverse," Lord Zero said.

Eon all the sudden arrives and he is not please to see him. "You, you got a lot of nerve to be here. After what you did to my Earth," Eon said.

"I was a different person back then. If you excuse me, we'll be taking our leave," Legion said.

He closes his eyes. "Stop him before he gets away," he said.

Legion opens them back up and he teleports himself and the Guardians out of the factory. He teleports us back to the Mystery Men Mansion, Carter pukes on the floor after being teleported.

"Next time, warn me if you're going to teleport us. I get teleportation sickness, you know," Carter said.

"My apologies," Legion said.

"You got explaining to do. One: why did you break out of prison, two: why did you help us and three: what's in it for you?" Dr. Nexus asked.

"First: I knew this was coming the moment after my downfall. For the last few months, I've been receiving visions and nightmares regarding this moment. Second: we both share a common enemy, both Eon and Seth," Legion said.

"Seth?" Rex asked.

"Seth is not your typical villain. He's an Elder One," he answered.

"You speak the truth. The Elder Ones are supposed to be imprisoned. How did he get out?" Dr. Nexus said.

"I'm still trying to figure that one out. And finally, I'm looking for redemption for my past sins," he answered.

"I don't buy it. Months ago, you planned to bring Dark Genesis over into the multiverse by blowing up a few parallel Earths. Also, you took control of my mind and the Gauntlet," Carter said.

"That was Dark Sai's doing, not mine. If I hadn't intervened, you lot would be dead," he said.

The Gauntlet transforms back into Blake. "He's right. He would've killed us back at the factory if he had the opportunity. There's something we don't get, how is it you know all of this?" Blake asked.

"Before the Dark Gods spiralled on a dark path. We were once a noble race who contributed everything. The Elder Ones were no different. It was them who discovered the means to travel back and forth to parallel Earths. Not only that, they discovered the means to travel to other multiverses," he answered.

"But that's impossible. There is and will always be one multiverse and that's ours," Blake said.

"That's what we thought until they found a way. In time, parallel Earths colliding into each other. It's a side effect from the years of travelling back and forth to multiverses. In the process, they eventually discovered Earth Prime," he said.

"Earth Prime?" Solaris said.

"There's a myth that there's one Earth. That it spawned the entire multiverse and existence. That earth is Earth Prime. Earth Prime was a marvel, years ahead of everything. The one day, parallel Earths began to spawn out of Earth Prime. Leaving it in a state of ruin and decay. At the beginning of time, it was the equivalent to Atlantis," Dr. Nexus said.

"I'm glad someone read on their history. For years, the Elder Ones watched as the other races fought one conflict after the other. They realised that the only way to achieve peace and stability is to restore balance i.e. restore Earth Prime to its former glory. The Dark Gods, the Light Gods and the other two races saw this as a threat because their actions could destabilise the entire multiverse. It led to a war," he said.

"So, the Dark Gods fought a war with the Elder Ones," Carter said.

"Exactly, the Elder Ones are led by the Empress. The Empress is a cruel and malevolent woman. She only saw balance and didn't care for the consequences of her or the Elder Ones actions. The war lasted for years and we won in the end. My great-grandfather, King Zale saw that killing an entire race wouldn't solve anything, so he showed mercy. He imprisoned the Elder Ones, along with their Empress in a dimension of his making. The dimension they are imprisoned can be opened by using the Star of Okath. To prevent another calamity, Zale shattered the Star and scattered all of the pieces across the multiverse. The Star itself is useless and it needs a power source," Legion said.

"What is this power source?" the Mighty Rider asked.

"The Arc Cube, a piece of Elder One technology designed to store the coordinates of the multiverses they visited. It's ironic really; we used their own technology to imprison them. Now, history is repeating itself once more," he answered.

"I take it Zale split the Arc Cube into pieces?" Solaris asked.

"He did, like the Star, the fragments of the Arc Cube are scattered across the multiverse. Now, Eon and his cohorts are gathering all of the pieces. The Star has been reassembled, but fragments of the Arc Cube remain," he answered.

"What should we do?" Dania asked.

"We got after Eon, put a stop to his evil plan and rescue Julie," I suggested.

"And what will you do? You lost the will to fight when she betrayed you. He may've manipulate her, but let's not forget it was you who kept pushing her away. The more you played hero, the more distant she became and its all your fault." I was enraged by what he said. I threw a punch in his face, but he catches it. "Please, I'm a demigod." He closes his eyes, opens them up and I fell into a sleep. "There, it's an improvement," he said.

"You possess the Eyes of the God. It's a genetic trait passed down from one Dark God leader to the other after they die," Dr. Nexus said.

"It is, when my mother died. I inherited the Eyes. They sometimes give me visions of the future. Which led to me breaking out of prison and helping you escape death," he said.

"I'll take Ben to his quarters. What's out next move?" Carter asked.

"We'll recover and analyse what he learned from that last skirmish," the Mighty Rider answered. Sometime later, Legion was in one of the galleries, looking at the portraits of the Mystery Men hanging up on the walls. Dr. Nexus then enters the room.

"I shouldn't be here, given that I almost destroyed the world," Legion said.

"That wasn't you. Did you know Julie would betray Ben in that fashion?" he asked.

"I knew he would be betrayed, but not from someone he loved. I accessed his mind earlier and I saw a lot of memories of the time he spent with her. There's this one memory that stood out. It was when Ben was seven; he was sitting on the grass in the park, complaining how hot it is. His mom has gone over to the ice cream vendor. He complained until he notices a butterfly flying around him. He chases after it and stumbles into a tennis court. He sees a young girl, around the same age as he is. He walks over to her and asks: 'What're you doing?' The girl then replies: 'I'm training' Ben doesn't get it at first, but the girl becomes exhausted after minutes of practice. Ben walks over to her bag, grabs a bottle of water, hands it to her and she drinks. She says thank you and he asks: "What your name? Mine's Ben.' The girl says: 'I'm Julie.' Her father picks her and the bag up. That was the last time he saw her until eight years later," Legion answered.

"Does Julie remember anything of the encounter?" he asked.

"I doubt it, but it was a wonderful memory. I don't know if I can save her, but at least I'll try. It's the least I can do to make up for my mistakes," Legion said.

"Well, I don't know if the other Guardians will approve. But your help is most welcome," Dr. Nexus said.

They shook hands. "Anytime, Ken. Anytime," he said. In the guest quarter, I get a picture of me and Julie out of my wallet. I looked at it for the first time since we took the photo. It reminded me of the good times we had. I then began to cry hard for the first time in years.


	2. Chapter 2

Two

When The War Came

Days later at the headquarters of Mason Enterprises, Trent, Blake, Max, and White Knight are attending a meeting with the Plumber Supreme Commander. "Seeing the X'Andi invading Revonnah is one thing. But seeing a squad of them on Earth, that means war altogether," the Commander said.

"What's being done about the Revonnahganders?" Max asked.

"I've already put together a taskforce to track down the one who were taken as slaves. Also, I'm getting reports that there's a resistance movement on the planet. I've sent people to train the movement," he answered.

"Does the X'Andi pose a huge threat to the other parallel Earths?" White Knight asked.

"That's hard to say. Their MO consists of invading a planet; take the women and children as slaves in exchange for either profit or arms. And kill any opposition that may pose a threat to them. With Eon providing them the means, it's a game changer all right," he answered.

Eli then enters the room and sits at the table. "Sorry I'm late, I was debriefing my people on the current situation," Eli said.

"We're discussing the events that have happened so far," Max said.

"I already had Phoebe analyse Eon's new general, Julie Yamamoto," Trent said.

"Julie has undergone significant genetic modification. Eliminating key junk sequences associated with human DNA. The modifications Julie went through don't match any of the known modifications recognised by various medical professionals or standards. It is possible that these modifications may come from the future. As for undoing the damage, it's hard to say. I've already began to analyse for possible cures," Phoebe answered.

"I heard what happened. It's heartbreaking stuff. What about Legion? Whose side is he on?" Max asked.

"For now, he's the good guy. But we're keeping an eye on him." Blake answered.

"What about the summit? Have the politicians reached a consensus?" Max asked.

"Within the next few hours, they'll be taking a vote to decide whether they should go to war or not. Hopefully, they'll make the right decision. We're going to need every able soldier, weapon and ship to defeat the Eon and his forces," the commander answered.

"And the Guardians will be there to support them," Trent said.

"And so will Special Projects," Eli said.

"Good, it'll be a short war if you lot aren't involved. I'll keep you lot updated regarding the vote. Until then," the commander said. Everyone then left the room.

Meanwhile, at the Mystery Men Mansion, Carter was in the training room, running through a simulation. "Okay, so playing the Black Rose training simulation wasn't such a good idea. Okay, how did the Outlaws did it? I know," Carter said.

He gets up from cover, fires a couple of arrows into the training droids, taking them out and ending the simulation. Rex then enters the room. "Oh and it was getting to the good part," Rex said.

"The Black Rose mission was hard compared to the simulation. It took the Outlaws a couple of hours to retake their ship back," he said.

"If that was hard, you should've been there for the Abysus mission. That was hard," Rex said.

"I read the reports. You were involved in a dozen missions relating to Abysus," he said.

"There's this one mission when I had to recover the meta-nanite from Van Kleiss' castle. It wasn't easy. I had to make a lot of hard decisions. One of them costed me the woman I loved," Rex said.

"So I heard. It's understandable, really. The one thing I learned from day one is the mission always comes first. If you got room left in the schedule. You go back to get your people out of there," Carter said.

"I hear that. So you're going to be a dad, huh. It does put a lot of holes in your wallet," he said.

"Yeah, last night, I and Molly were having a discussion about naming the baby. She said if it's a boy, she's naming it Ben," Carter said.

"Why not name it after me or any of the other team members," he said.

"I said the very same thing, but she wants it to be name so it can bring us hope," Carter said.

"Have you heard from Ben?" he asked.

"He hasn't left the room or said anything. I can't believe Julie sold us out like that," Carter answered.

"I'm worried. With the whole multiverse going to war, we need everyone on edge," he said.

"I know," Carter said.

In the guest quarters, I still haven't recovered from the shock of it all. Julie betrayed me like that and joining with Eon. "Ben, open up. Please open up," Ken said.

I don't open the door. "Ben, it's me, Gwen. You got to open up. Ken told me what happened. If you come out, we can talk this through," Gwen said.

All the sudden, time stood still as Aeon arrived. "You! You knew this was going to happen!" I yelled.

"I did, but you were partly responsible for her downfall and feeling guilty will not solve your current problems," Aeon said.

"Speak for yourself. Legion told me everything and how the Light Gods were involved in the war," I said.

"Our then leader, the Light Priestess was hoping for an alternative solution rather than fighting. But we knew that Elder Ones wouldn't listen to reason. At least Legion saved you," Aeon said.

"I don't what to do. A part of me wants to save the multiverse, while the other couldn't bring himself around to harming the one person I love," I said.

"Oh grow up, Tennyson." Legion enters the room. "You're not the only one who can manipulate space and time, Aeon. I know you're feeling guilty, but I think we can save her. The key to victory is the Burst Mode. I have a suspicion that when we collided back in New York. Both our energies created a energy ripple that was sent through space and time, freeing Seth in the process. If you can learn how to harness that power, you'll become something more," Legion said.

"What do you suggest I do?" I asked.

"Given that I have experience dealing with this sort of thing. I'll take to Tao," Legion answered.

"Tao?" I asked.

"It's a planet on the other side of this galaxy. Warriors usually go there to train. The planet is unique because a average week is equal to one full Earth year," Aeon answered.

"With that, you'll become stronger. With your permission, I would like to train you. I'll teach you the skills my ancestors taught. Are you willing to go through this?" he asked.

"Anything for Julie. I will bring her back home. Even if it meant giving up my life," I answered.

"That I want to hear," Legion said.

Sometime later in the conference room, I told everyone about Legion's plan and not everyone is convinced. "I'm not convinced," Carter said.

"Going to Tao to train is something we're okay. But having Legion over there train you isn't," Dania said.

"We're out of options," I said.

"Maybe, but something will come up," Dr. Nexus said.

"By then, time will run out and Earth, along with everything else will be destroyed. I know what I'm proposing is a tall order. I won't let you down," Legion said.

"Hmm, I don't like it. Right now, the Burst Mode could be our only hope," the Might Rider said.

"Good luck, out there," Blake said.

"Thanks. Ready, Legion?" I asked.

"Wait, will we see you again?" Gwen asked.

"I'll be back in a week and save some of the bad guys for me and Legion, will you," I answered.

Legion closes his eyes and he teleports himself and me over to Tao. Later, Trent is sitting at the computer, analysing the intel regarding Eon and the X'Andi. "Phoebe, have you had any luck identifying the ship?" Trent asked.

"No, it doesn't match anything in the databases. However, I was able to get a name: Hyperion," Phoebe answered.

"In Greek mythology, Hyperion was a Titan and the brother of Cronus. Seems fitting that Eon sees himself as a ruler," Trent said.

"Also, the ship is advanced and it is possible that it came from the future," Phoebe answered.

"Like the genetic modifications Julie Yamamoto went through," Trent said.

"I'm still searching for a cure, if one exists. I'll let you know," Phoebe said.

"Much appreciated," Trent said.

Onboard the Hyperion, Alonso watches in horror as Paradox weakens due to having his energy drained to recharge the Arc Cube. "I'm so sorry for everything," Alonso said.

"Its okay, Alonso." He then coughs. "You're not to blame here," Paradox said.

"Partly, I was a Secret Scientist from a parallel multiverse. My curiosity got the better of me when I discovered a fragment to the Arc Cube. For twenty years, I've been travelling back and forth to timelines, multiverses and parallel Earths. It brought me a lot of unwanted attention and it finally caught up to me. I should be the one strapped into that contraption, not you Time Walker," Alonso said.

"Sometimes I wonder what caused Eon to become a tyrant," Paradox wondered.

On Revonnah, the once beautiful planet has become a militarised state, Eon wonders into the capital and into the government building. He then has flashbacks to the time when he finished building Deviation and his late wife enters the room. "Ben, are you finished?" she asked.

"Yes I am, Jules. It's ready. Meet Deviation, the Crimson Marvel," he said.

"Crimson Marvel?" she asked.

"Well it's because it wears a crimson jacket," he answered.

"So what can it do?" she asked.

"It's capable of manipulating its density. It can become hard as a diamond or phase through matter like a ghost. Also, it has the ability to shape shift. It can change its appearance at will. And I built it for your protection," he answered.

"Thanks, Ben. You're the greatest husband," she said.

Back in the present, an android soldier rushes up to him. "We have located the fifth Arc Cube fragment. The X'Andi have already moved in to claim it," it said.

"It won't be long until I get what I want. The war is close," Eon said.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Blake enters the office only for Trent to wake up. "When was the last time you slept?" Blake asked.

"I tried every known device to track the Hyperion and they're not working," he answered.

"What about the device Ken used to track Eon down a while back?" Blake asked.

"I tried that, but it looks like the Hyperion is using some device to block off Eon's energy signature," he answered.

"So we got no way of finding him and our only lead hasn't been helpful. There are days I wish things would be simpler," Blake said.

"We both knew things wouldn't be easy," he said.

Dania then enters the room. "Sorry to interrupt, but I got something. I made some calls to some friends I know and I think they've found a way to track down Eon. Not the device the others used." She places some photos on the desk. "These photos were taken before Eon and the Hyperion destroyed everything. A group of scientists were able to get a sample of the energy signature the Hyperion is using. If I have to guess, the ship uses a drive similar to the Universal Gates," Dania said.

"You're sure about this?" he asked.

"If there's one thing I learned about Universal Gates and that's they leave a energy signature," she answered.

"She's right. I might be able to construct a device capable of tracking down a Universal Gate energy signature in mobile use," Blake said.

"It's a long shot, but we need advantage if we're ever going to stop Eon and his ally once and for all," he said.

"Great, I'll get to work on building the device," Blake said.

Meanwhile on the other side of the galaxy, the Intergalactic Nations gather for the weekly conference. Max, the Plumber Supreme Commander and Eli watch from above in the balcony. The speaker takes centre stage. "Members of the Intergalactic Nations, for too long, the X'Andi have invaded, capture and murdered their way through the galaxy. Their recent invasion of Revonnah shows that they've gone too far. The votes are in and I can tell you that the Nations are going to war," the speaker said.

Everyone gave a round of applause as Max, the Commander and Eli are hardly impressed. "They mean well, but we don't have the firepower, let alone the advance technology to deal with Eon," Max said.

"I know what you mean. I'll send out a recall signal to notify the Plumbers to cease their current operations and tell them the war is on," the Commander said.

"I monitor the situation on Earth. There's a chance that it could be a target," Eli said.

Back on Earth, Carter sits alone in Hangar 18. The bar is empty as Molly enters and sits next to him.

"This is odd. Hangar 18 is usually busy," she said.

"Have you heard? The Intergalactic Nations have declared war on the X'Andi and Eon. They're hopelessly and hilariously outgunned. I've seen firsthand the technology and the power Eon possesses. How can you win a war against a man who knows everything you're going to do?" Carter wondered.

"You're not doubting yourself, are you? Carter Lance Tavistock, I know you too well that you never, ever doubt yourself. Sure we had our ups and downs. But we're here. I still feel bad about Julie Yamamoto. In a way, it's my fault and I should not told Ben I'm pregnant," Molly said.

"Hey, there's no way you could've foreseen this. At least he's going to be a godfather to our unborn child," Carter said.

"There's that, I'm not too sure having Legion on our side," she said.

"Yeah, there was controversy surrounding it. At least he's got a plan to save the multiverse. Well, in theory anyway," he said.

"Well, here's to hope," she said.

They raised a glass and drank. On Tao, Legion and I arrived on the planet. The planet was beautiful and full of harmony. "It's beautiful," I said.

"I know, don't let the surroundings fool you. Before we begin, let's change your clothes into something more standard of a warrior." He closes his eyes, opens them back up and he uses his powers to change my clothes. "There, now that you got your fighting gear on. I suggest we get started, we may not have much time left before Eon and Seth find the final pieces to the Arc Cube," Legion said.

"Great, now let's get started. Come a bit closer," he said. I tried to walk over to him. But my body can't move and simultaneously fall to the ground.

"Okay, what gives?" I asked.

"The first important lesson about Tao is the planet's gravity. It's a hundred times more powerful than Earth's gravitational force. To survive, you must learn how to overcome this," he answered.

"No sweat," I said.

"Good, let's begin," he said.

Back on Earth in the Mystery Men Mansion, the remaining Guardians are in the conference attending a debriefing with Eli, Max and the Plumber Supreme Commander.

"It's official, the whole galaxy is going to war against Eon and the X'Andi," Eli said.

"I don't know if I should find comfort in that. Eon has superior fire power and he has the means to do so," Blake said.

"Technically your right, we don't like this any much as you lot are," the Commander said.

"Have there been casualties so far?" Dania asked.

"The war is still in its early days. Undertown is starting to look empty," Max said.

"Well, everyone in that community is panicking. I can't say I blame them," Carter said.

"Even so, we need to end this before it gets ugly," Eli said.

"Have you lot come up with a solution?" the Commander asked.

"We have some leads. We discovered Eon's ship; the Hyperion has a Universal Drive. It means it can travel to any parallel Earth. But there's a downside, like the Universal Gate technology, it can leave traces of energy. So I'm building a device to track down the Hyperion," Blake answered.

"It's a start, where is Ben Tennyson?" the Commander asked.

"Gone to Tao, he and Legion have gone there to train. Hopefully, it should help Ben learn how to master the Burst Mode," Rex answered.

"It's a gamble, but something tells me we'll end this war before he could master it," Trent said.

"I hope so because the last thing we want is a huge casualty list. Until then, stay safe, Commander out," the Commander said.

Everyone hang up as the team left the room. At Kevin's home, Gwen sits at a table, looking at a framed photo of us, not long after she left for college. Kevin enters the room. "I didn't know you were here," Kevin said.

"I do have house keys, you know," Gwen said.

"Seeing Julie betraying Ben is hard," Kevin said.

"Yeah, but I didn't see it coming. I thought those two were meant for each other. But it looks like I was wrong," she said.

"Hey, you can't beat yourself for what has happened. This is Eon's doing and the Guardians will find a way to undoing the damage," he said.

Gwen notices his suitcase is packed. "You're enlisting, aren't you?" she asked.

"I got recalled actually, all Plumbers based on Earth need to report to Headquarters to receive their assignments. It means I'll be off world for a while. Have you been recalled?" he asked.

Gwen gets her Plumber badge out and it's starting to blink. "Yep, you go on ahead. I'll pack my things and I'll join you eventually," she said.

Sometime later at Plumber Headquarters, the docks were busy as Plumbers were getting on ships and being flown to different destinations. Max and Eli were standing on a platform and looking down as he notices Gwen arriving and joining up with Kevin.

"It's not fair. They don't deserve to be on the frontlines," Max said.

"War can bring about a lot unpredictable things, but they're no longer teenagers. With Ben on Tao, they want a piece of the action," Eli said.

"Still, they have no idea what war is like," Max said.

"Tell that to the Highbreed and the Dark Gods. They have their fair share of moments. Let's pray that this doesn't end with one of them going to an early grave. It does give me an idea. I'm currently working on getting the Yamato space worthy. I can arrange for them to be the security detail to protect the engineers," Eli said.

"Thank you," Max said. At Max's office, they were furious to learn they're being withdrawn from duty.

"What? You're withdrawing us from duty? Ben is out there and we should be on the frontlines," Gwen said.

"You may mean well. But I'd or rather Max wants you to remain here," Eli said.

"I just don't want to see either you or Kevin die," Max said.

"That doesn't make it a excuse," Kevin said.

"However, there's a compromise. You two are being assigned to the Yamato. You two will be the security detail to protect the engineers while they upgrade the ship to make it space worthy," Eli said.

"You got to be kidding? We're going to be security guards?" Kevin asked.

"Pretty much. My father fought in Vietnam. He used to say to me when I was a kid: 'When a man goes to war, he expects a few things. A gun, a survival kit, intuition and the man standing right beside him. He gets paid to hold a gun, obey an order, but he doesn't get paid to believe and he'll get the opportunity to prove himself.' It may not mean much. I did eventually learn what he meant by that," Eli said.

"I fail to see how that's relevant," Gwen said.

"Maybe one day you'll learn. For now, you two will report to Agent Henry Walsh. He'll debrief you two on the current status of the Yamato," Eli said.

They left the office. Back at the Mystery Men Mansion, Blake was working in the lab, putting the Universal Drive tracking device together. "Phoebe, have you determine the device can track the Hyperion to another parallel Earth?" Blake asked.

"Unlikely, the device's broadcast range is limited to this universe only. As for expanding the range, it'll take up all of my processing power," it said.

"Too risky, it'll have to do. Begin running the tests," Blake ordered.

"Scanning. The Hyperion is not in this universe," it said.

"The device works. Tell Trent and the others it works," Blake said.

Onboard the Hyperion, Eon places the fifth piece of the Arc Cube into place. "One more piece and you're done. What happens after that?" Alonso asked.

"Then I'll achieve peace with my new bride," Eon answered.

"Did you even ask and did she even want to be taken? You lied to her, manipulated her and you think that this'll achieve peace? You know Ben will come after you for what you did to her," he said.

"Let him come," Eon said.

Eon then leaves the lab. "How are you holding up, Paradox?" he asked.

"Just exhausted, that's all," Paradox said.

"I thought I could get through to him. Seeing that Eon is a scientist. When I first met him all those years, he was different. How did he fall from grace that fast?" he wondered.

"Sometimes I wonder the very same thing. Before he became consumed by power, Eon was a kind and gentle from a parallel Earth. He was married to Julie Yamamoto. Not that one you encountered. Eon had everything he could ever want. He'd even created Deviation. The android's original purpose was to protect Julie at all costs," Paradox said.

"Something happened to his Julie, didn't it?" he asked.

"Something did happen. The Dark Gods and Legion came and destroyed everything Eon ever knew. His world, his wife, everything and Eon never forgave them for what they did," Paradox answered.

"I never knew, all that tragedy really did turn Eon into a monster. I would never expect him to murder Charmcaster like that," he said.

"If there's one team that can stop them and that's the Guardians," Paradox said.

He then coughs out some blood. "Take it easy and rest. It'll take more than the Guardians to stop them. I've seen the future and it'll end in failure. If they going to succeed, they going to need the entire collective of the other multiverses," he said.

Over at Plumber Headquarters, Max is having a conversation with the Plumber Supreme over the day's findings and all of it isn't good. "The casualty list keeps growing by the hour. We've taken losses, but not all of it is heavy," the Commander said.

"What's situation about Revonnah?" Max asked.

"We did what we can for resistance movement. We gave them arms, training and it paid. They're hitting the X'Andi via guerrilla style hit and run tactics. They're already hit major bases, spaceports and various supply lines. As for the women and children who were taken as slaves. The intel department is getting reports that they're somewhere in the Moebius Traverse," he answered.

"The Moebius Traverse, that part of the galaxy is virtually lawless," Max said.

"Makes sense, given that anti-slavery laws don't apply there. Also, we scored a victory on one of the moons near Anodyne. We were able to get some samples of the weapons Eon has been supplying the X'Andi," the Commander said.

"Reverse engineering the technology won't be easy. How's Rook Blonko holding up?" Max asked.

"The kid is a really trooper. Despite what he went through, he's the best Plumber we ever had. I wish everyday was a good news day, but what this galaxy and the multiverse needs is hope," he said.

"Stay safe, Commander," Max said.

"You too, Max. Supreme Commander out," he said.

He hung up on Max. At Mason Enterprises, Trent was working in the lab, analysing the various weapons the Plumbers acquired. "Hmm, the energy signature matches that to Eon's suits. I'm detecting signs of chronologic energy. It's not from this time period," Trent said.

"It is possible that the weapons came from a parallel Earth," Phoebe said.

"Maybe, has Blake found the Hyperion yet?" Trent asked.

"He's already built a device capable of tracking the Hyperion's Universal Drive. But he hasn't found it yet," it answered.

"The longer the ship is still out, the more people will die. Forward our current findings to the Coalition Forces. Has Ben made contact yet?" Trent asked.

"No, it's been less than a week since he left for Tao. Given that planet is in another galaxy. It's impossible to maintain communication," it answered.

"He better hurry," Trent said.

Over at a Special Projects facility, Gwen and Kevin arrived at the dry-docked Yamato. Agent Walsh walks up to them. "It's been a long time, Kevin, Gwen," Agent Walsh said.

"You helped us to deal with the Dr. Nexus situation, right?" she asked.

"That's right and this is Yamato in front of you," he said.

"Is that a replica?" Kevin asked.

"Believe it or not, it's real deal," he answered.

They were stunned to hear this. "You must be joking?" she asked.

"I wish it were, but its not. During the 1970s, a group of students in Japan were studying the effects of Newton's laws of gravity. They believed that it was possible to break all three of those laws. So, they built a device capable of generating a gravitational pull. The small scale test worked, so they decided to try something a bit bigger. They built a full scale version of the device and they took a boat to Okinawa to test it. Their initial plan was to raise a fishing boat back to the surface, but they got a bit more than they bargained for. The full scale device worked, instead of raising a fishing boat. They actually raised the Yamato to the surface," he answered.

"I take it Emperor Hirohito wasn't too happy with the students raising the Yamato to the surface?" Kevin asked.

"He wasn't and so were a lot of Japanese World War Two veterans. They were outraged that they damaged a memorial site," he answered.

"How did Special Projects acquire the Yamato?" she asked.

"In the 1980s, Eli and his Plumber partner were based in Japan. They were investigating all sorts of paranormal activity. One day, they stumbled onto a plot to assassinate him during the then President's state visit. Eli and his partner were able to foil the plot. Eli knew about the controversy surrounding the raising of the Yamato and was willing to take it off Japan's hands. He also told Emperor Hirohito about his partner's race and their ability to clone any technology, including ships. Hirohito was reluctant at first, but he knew he needed to settle the controversy once and for all. So, he agreed and Eli promised to make the Yamato better and faster than the ship was before," Agent Walsh answered.

"And it looks like you lot accomplished all of that. So why is it dry-docked?" Kevin asked.

"During the Dark God incident, it took a lot of damage. Also, our scientists and engineers have been brainstorming ideas how to make the Yamato better. One of the suggestions was to make capable of space travel. Some called the idea pure science fiction, but they think they can make it work. Your jobs are to make sure the scientists and engineers survive. I'll be in the office if you two need anything," he said.

Agent Walsh leaves the area and heads into the office.

Blake was at home, sleeping at his desk when his wife enters the room. "When was the last time you slept?" she asked.

"Since Eon appeared," he answered.

"Anyway, I'm going to pick Joshua up from school. Don't get into any fights while I'm gone," she said.

She leaves the house. A blip appeared on Blake's laptop and he notices it. "What the heck?" He checks the laptop again and he gets a reading. He grabs his cell phone and rings Trent up. "Hey Trent, gather the Guardians. I've just found where the Hyperion is," Blake said.


	3. Chapter 3

Three

Training Days

I'm on Tao, training with a human/Dark God hybrid known as Legion aka Edwin GrandSmith and I'm struggling to move because of the planet's gravity. "What's the point of having a planet to train on when the gravity is that powerful?" I asked.

"You'll understand eventually. For now, focus on getting to me," Legion answered.

I struggled to get up; hours later I was able to make progress and stood up. "Oh right, I did it," I yelled.

"Not bad. It usually takes an average warrior two days to stand up on this planet. Now, walk over to me. It shouldn't be that hard." I steadily walked over to Legion, one step at a time. "Okay, we're making progress," he said.

"What was the purpose behind the lesson?" I asked.

"By moving in this gravity, you'll be increasing your chances to move slightly faster back on Earth or on any planet. In other words, your body should become a bit lighter," he answered.

"Cool," I said.

He notices the sun setting. "Hmm, the sun is setting. We should call it quits for today. Tomorrow, the serious training begins," he said. Later, we were sitting at a campfire in a cave. I was warming up, while Legion experiences a flashback back when he first arrived at the Outreach Facility, not long after I defeat. He gets out of the van and the guards escort over to the entrance. The warden arrives and walks up to him.

"I'm Warden Kar and welcome to the Outreach Facility," Kar said.

"You're a Tetramand. It's weird because I envisioned Special Projects to be filled with human operatives," he said.

Kar and the guards escort him to his cell. "I use to be a Plumber like Eli. But when the Plumbers left, I decided to stay, not because I want to, but because most of my family have either died or disowned. So I made Earth my home and Eli offered me the position of warden to the Outreach Facility," Kar answered.

Legion then notices the prisoners. "Some of these prisoners are Earth based villains," he said.

"Correct, this is one of four super villain prisons on Earth. One is the Outreach Facility we're in. The other is St. Bastions, which was recently opened and Niflheim Mountain in Norway. Crookham Asylum is a prison hospital designed to treat super villains with sociopathic issues. The Null Void is home to some of the galaxy's worst criminals." They arrived at the cell. "We're here." Legion enters his cell. "I don't understand why you did except the plea bargain," Kar said.

"I carry the weight of my grandfather's sins and I must pay for them in full," he said.

"Noble, but fair. Enjoy the rest of your life in the Outreach Facility," Kar said.

The cell door closes and the guards left, leaving Legion in his cell. Back in the present, I notice something was up with Legion. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

"It's nothing. You should get some sleep. You going to every ounce of strength for tomorrow," he answered. We slept, Legion experiences a flashback when he was a prisoner. A group of guards were beating him up.

"I like this. I'm not surprised that you're not fighting back. I lost a lot of good buddies because of you," the lead guard said.

He punches him some more. Annie enters the cell after seeing what's happening. "That's enough, Cash. Even a prisoner like Legion doesn't deserve such treatment," Annie said.

"Says you, this is good old fashioned revenge," Cash said.

"Really, your review is coming up next week. If the warden finds out you're abusing prisoners. You'll get fired for sure," she said.

He realises this and he and his friends left the cell. "You got lucky, Legion. But this ain't over, not yet," he said.

"I don't understand. I don't understand why you didn't fight back," she said.

"I let them beat me because it's my punishment," Legion said.

"Wrong, you're still human and you have rights. Let me take a look at your wounds." She inspects and tends to them. "You suffered some concussions, but nothing serious," she said.

"Why are you doing this? You don't even know me," Legion asked.

"I like to. What's your name?" she said.

"Legion," he answered.

"Not your codename, your real name?" she asked.

"Edwin, Edwin GrandSmith. You can call me Eddie," he answered.

"As for why because you're my responsibility and I intend to make sure you survive long enough," she said.

Back in the present, morning came and we left the cave. "I'm not sure if I want to sleep in a cave again," I said.

"You better get use to it because we don't have a lot of time left. In order to master Burst Mode, there are three lessons you need to learn. Power, control and balance. With all three, you'll able to access a new power that neither the multiverse has seen and able to master it. Lessons like these cannot be rushed. We're going to take it one lesson at a time. Before we start, I need to assess your current fighting style. Change into any alien." I use the Omnitrix to change into Feedback. "Okay, why Feedback?" he asked.

"Because it's my favourite and this guy defeated Malware. That's why," I answered.

"You're gravely mistaken. Now defeat me, if you can," he said.

I became excited by what he said. "All right, a rematch. Get ready to have your butt kicked," I said.

I threw the first punch. "Hmm, I doubt it." We fought for hours, I gave it everything and Legion is still standing after a few hours. "All right, that's enough. I got what I need." We stopped fighting and the Omnitrix timed out. "We'll go over the findings after lunch," he said.

We sat down by a waterfall; he has lunch, while I look in disgust at what he eats. "How can you eat that?" I asked in disgust.

"The berries on this planet have healing properties. So I advise eating them. They should help your recover a lot faster," he answered.

"How is it you know about the Omnitrix, this planet and the current situation? Oh yeah, you're a demigod," I said, sarcastically.

"Now's not the time to get angry or blame me for everything that has happened. I know you had it rough for the last few days. But things like your betrayal happen and there's nothing that can't be done to undo it," he said.

"Why are you doing this, really? Was in it for you?" I asked.

"Besides redemption, there's a lot riding on us. When I first arrived at the Outreach Facility to begin my prison sentence, I didn't know what to say. In fact, I was a different person back then." Legion has a flashback when he was a prisoner. Annie places some high school books on the table. "I had no idea you're a high school student," Legion said.

"Don't be silly, those books are you. You're still a teenager and I rather see you complete your high school education," Annie said.

"What's the point of having an education when I'm going to spend the rest of my life in prison?" he asked.

"The others see you as a monster and a villain. But I know better because deep inside you. There's a boy who's lost in the woods and he's looking for a way home. Not of all of us see you as a monster. You better get studying," she said.

"I never did get your name," he said.

"It's Annie, Annie Carnegie," she said.

Back in the present, I eat some of the berries and my body began to heal up. "These berries actually work," I said.

"I'm glad you thought so. I analysed your technique and I noticed a number of flaws. You're too emotional when it comes to fighting villains. Also, you rely too much on your rage," he said.

"So, anger makes me stronger," I said.

"No it does not. If you stay in an enraged state for too long, you'll lose sight of everything and there's a chance you can kill the people you care about. During the fight, I sense guilt," he said.

"What're you, a head shrink?" I asked.

"I'm trying to help you. I know your blaming yourself for what's happened to Julie. We'll get her back," he answered.

"Sorry, I think we had lunch long enough," I said.

"Agreed, let's get onto the serious training. The first lesson you'll be learning is power. By learning this lesson, you'll be able to tap into the power of the Burst Mode and become a being of pure energy and have access of every alien unlocked and locked in the Omnitrix," he said.

"I'm surprised you know the Omnitrix that well," a voice said.

We stood up, turned around and we notice Azmuth. "Azmuth, what're you doing all the way here in Tao?" I asked.

"I noticed something was wrong when my sensors couldn't detect Omnitrix energy on Earth. Instead, I followed the source all the way here. I heard about what happened to Revonnah and Julie. I'm still shocked you're taking lessons from a being that nearly destroyed the multiverse. Although it was Dark Sai's doing," Azmuth said.

"I understand your reservations, Azmuth. But it's only way to defeat Eon and the Elder Ones," he said.

"Who said I had reservations? I'm glad I'm not the only one who knows what's at stake here," Azmuth said.

"Sorry," he said.

"Anyway, since I'm the creator of the Omnitrix. It's only fair for me to be here and may I ask how is it you're planning to summon the Burst Mode?" Azmuth asked.

"The initial plan is to let Ben go all way," he answered.

"It's risky and dangerous. There are a number of reasons why the latest model has limits. If you go all the way, Tennyson, you'll be killed," Azmuth said.

"Noted." The Omnitrix is full charged and I use it to change into Swampfire. "Where should I begin?" I asked.

"First, meditate and focus all of you power. Once you get to certain point, the Burst Mode should start to kick in," Legion said.

I meditated; Legion and Azmuth sat down and watch. "I'm surprised you knew about the Burst Mode," Azmuth said.

"I was there when he first used it, remember," he said.

"It's like you said. I do have reservations, but everyday it gets worse," Azmuth said.

"How're the Galvan reacting to the war?" he asked.

"Most of them started panicking when the news broke. Our leader gave a address reassuring our race that everything will be all right. Now, more Galvan are enlisting in the fighting and we volunteered our planet to be used as a medical base," Azmuth answered.

"That's good," he said.

"Why are you doing this?" Azmuth said.

"Let's just say that there a certain person who believes in me," he said.

He then experiences a flashback, Legion was studying for his high school diploma when Annie enters the room. "You're making progress," she said.

"I thought about what you said. It doesn't hurt to have a education," he said.

Annie looks at the work. "You're making good progress. I'll back to get you some more paper," she said.

She leaves the cell. Outside, Cash renders her unconscious. "Not today, Annie," Cash said.

Back in the cell, Legion senses something is wrong when Cash entered the cell. "Where's Annie?" he asked.

"Oh, she took a dirt nap." Legion leaves the table and stands up. "As we speak, I got people who're testifying against Annie and about her attempts to break you out," Cash answered.

"Do you think anyone will believe that story? Eli and Kar aren't fools you know," he said.

"True, but you won't be around to live it. I paid off a lot of people to get revenge on you. This is for all the families you hurt, monster." He rushes in for the attack and slams Legion to the wall of the cell. "It'll be all over soon. Once this is over, I'll see to it that they'll make this a suicide. You won't be missed." All the sudden, he felt a shock in his back. He realised he got tasered by the warden. "You? You're supposed to be on leave," Cash said.

"It was a ruse, Cash. To root out anyone who wanted to take Legion's life. As I speak, we're rounding up your co-conspirators," Kar said.

"We?" Eli and Agent Walsh then entered the cell. "I don't understand. I took every precaution to make sure that this goes according to plan. How?" Cash asked.

"You're a real disappointment, Cash. You were one of the best guards I knew. Instead, you and your buddies thought good old fashion justice would get justice for all of Legion's victims. But it doesn't. I caught onto your little scheme a while back. Putting the blame of the scheme on Annie is the act for a coward," Eli said.

"You weren't willing to do it. I had to end his life. I could've been a hero," Cash said.

Eli punches Cash in the face. "You don't get it. Eddie is a human, just like you and me. Walsh, take Cash and lock him up in the brig until I figure what to do with him," Eli said.

Walsh escorts Cash out of the cell. "I got friends, you know. This ain't over," Cash yelled.

"Oh it is. How are you holding, Eddie?" Eli asked.

"Why did you save me?" he asked.

"Annie told me about the progress you're making. Many thought it was impossible to rehabilitate a villain, but I and Annie know better. She's not giving up on you and neither am I," Eli said.

Back in the present, I then sensed something. "Guys, I think I'm onto something here," I said.

Legion senses it too. "That's it, good. Keeping going, you're almost there. You can do it, one more step and you can summon the Burst Mode," Legion said.

I summoned the Burst Mode and I transformed into a being of pure energy. "I did it!" He fires a fire blast. "Not only I can summon Burst Mode, I got all of the powers of the aliens. Cool," I said.

I then revert back to normal. "It'll take a day for the Omnitrix to recharge," Azmuth said.

"Congratulations, you learned the first lesson. You only got two more lessons to learn and then we'll turn the tables on Eon and his allies. For now, we'll take the day off," Legion said.

Hours later, Azmuth set up some communication equipment to contact the Guardians. "From the sounds of it, your training is going smoothly," Max said on the communicator.

"How's the war going?" I asked.

"We're suffering losses, but we were able to get some intel," Max answered.

"We'll get back home soon," I said.

"You better, I hate to see us losing this war if you weren't around," Max said on the communicator.

Azmuth shuts the communication device down. "It's been days since this war began and we're losing it," he said.

"My great-grandfather faced these similar odds before," Legion said.

"That reminds me, how come is it you remember this when you weren't there?" I asked.

"Both Light and Dark Gods have the ability to access their genetic memories," Azmuth answered.

"It comes in handy for the bad days," Legion said.

"We should get moving. We're done here," Azmuth said.

We left the waterfall and moved to a different part of the planet. We arrived at a desert to find it filled in wrecked ships. "What is this place?" I asked.

"The Desert of the Dead, it's a desert filled with crashed ships." We walked over to one of the ships and enter it. "This one has been here for a hundred years," Legion answered.

"Surviving on this planet is hard, let alone dangerous," I said.

"This is why most intergalactic atlases advise caution when travelling to Tao. The planet's gravity is one problem, the others range from predators to poisonous fauna," Azmuth said.

"We should get moving. The more we stay, the more we're in danger," Legion said.

We left the ship and the desert altogether. Night fell and we arrived in abandoned observatory. Azmuth recognises the place. "Well I'll be. It's been years since I been in here," he said.

"You've been here before?" I asked.

"This is the Orion Observatory. I used to come here to map out the stars and examine life on Tao," he answered.

"From the tone of your voice, I say you enjoyed your time here," Legion said.

"Yes, back in my younger days. I use to come here in the summers with Zennith. She liked coming here because of the serenity the planet offered. We were forced to abandon the observatory after our mission was concluded," Azmuth said.

"We should rest here for the night and be on your guard. Even a place like this isn't safe. I'll take first watch," Legion said.

Azmuth and I get some sleep, while Legion stays vigilant. He then experiences another flashback. It was the day after Cash made a attempt on Legion's life. He was studying when Annie enters the cell.

"Aren't you suppose to be on leave?" he asked.

"You almost had a close call with death yesterday. I'm so sorry, I should've been there," she cried.

She puts her head on my shoulder and cries. "Cash was the troublemaker, there's nothing to cry about," he said.

She moves back. "Sorry, I came to say you got an exam tomorrow. Good luck," she said. She leaves the cell. Back in the present, Legion leaves the observatory. He looks at the stars and the moon for the first time in months. Azmuth joins him.

"This is why I liked going to Tao. The stars and moon glow brighter than anything I seen," Azmuth said.

"Can't sleep?" he asked.

"That's the thing about being old. You never get tired. I'm surprised you know so much about the Omnitrix," Azmuth said.

"I'm a demigod, I hear and see things," he said.

"And yet, Dark Sai nearly destroyed the multiverse," Azmuth said.

"True and true, but I am nothing like him," he said.

"I know your reasons for doing this. Is it redemption you seek or is there something more?" Azmuth asked.

"There is," he answered.

He experiences another flashback, to the day when he passed the exam. Annie enters the cell. "I see you passed your exam, congratulations," she said.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked.

"There is, my boyfriend dumped me for a cocktail waitress," she answered.

"Ouch," he said.

"I know and it sucks. She's a college dropout," she said.

"We can't have everything in this world," he said.

She then sits down on the bed and he sits next to her. "Well said, sometimes I think you're my only friends. Besides a few Special Projects agents and my old high school buddies," she said.

"Well, at least you still got friends," he said.

"But at times, I feel lonely." They got caught in the moment and nearly kissed when Annie snaps out of it. "What am I doing? That was wrong, don't mention this to anyone," she said.

"Your secret is safe and sound," he said.

Back in the present, morning came and we left the observatory. We arrived on the plain lands side of the planet. "Hmm, this looks peaceful," I said.

"I know and it'll be perfect for the next lesson: control. You've already mastered the power aspect of the Burst Mode. Now you need to learn how to control it. When we fought back in New York, you showed some control, but that was rage. With control, you'll be able to maintain Burst Mode for much longer. This lesson will be the hardest," Legion said.

"What needs to be done?" I asked.

"First, summon Burst Mode and then we'll see."I turn the Omnitrix on, changed into Four Arms and I summoned the Burst Mode. "Okay good, now maintain it as long as possible," Legion said.

For months, I tried to learn the lesson, but I keep failing. Months pass, while on Earth, only a few days went. I was in the Desert of the Dead, trying to control the Burst Mode, Azmuth has reservations about it. "He's not going to last much longer," Azmuth said.

"Ben, that's enough. If you keep going at this rate, you'll cease to exist," he said.

I then powered down and I walked up to them. "What was that all about? I was so close," I said.

"Yeah, you were too close to death. I know you want to make Eon and their allies pay for their crimes. But I won't let you get burned that easily," he said.

"There isn't much time left. The more we're here, the more worlds will fall. I will try again," I said.

"Ben, listen to yourself. You're not thinking straight. You think you're doing this for Julie, but you're actually doing this for the multiverse. Don't let personal revenge get in the way of your training," Azmuth said.

I then begin to cry. "You have no idea what that monster did to her. Not only did he modify her in a twisted evil way, but he robbed her of her humanity," I cried.

I then burst into tears and Legion comforts me. "You're not the first one to ever felt guilt," he said.

Legion experiences another experience, back when he was seeing the prison psychiatrist. "Good morning, Eddie. We'll resume from our last session. You recalled the moment when your paternal grandfather told you the truth about your heritage. How did you react?" she asked.

"I was scared, betrayed and unsure," he answered.

"What do you mean unsure?" she asked.

"I was unsure what to make of all of it. It took me days to come to terms with it and then he appeared," he answered.

"Who?" she asked.

"Dark Sai, he first appeared in my head and took over my body. He made me do terrible things." Legion begins to cry. "Things I'm not too proud of," he cried.

"It's okay, it's okay. According to the recent physical evaluations, the powers began to manifest again," she said.

"Yeah, I felt that for weeks now. Last night, I was doing my homework and levitating a glass with my mind," he said.

"That'll be all for today, Eddie. Good day," she said.

Back in the present, Legion is thinking what to do next when he felt a disturbance. "What is it, Legion?" Azmuth asked.

"I felt a disturbance; Eon has found the fifth Arc Cube fragment. We don't have much time left. It won't take them long to figure out where the final fragment. We should rest up and return to Earth before." Legion's head then begins to hurt. "Oh no, not again," he said.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm having a vision and its bad." He then sees into the future and the vision was tragic. "It's okay, I'm fine. What I experience now isn't good. The vision showed me a glimpse into the future and what would happen if we fail," he answered.

"You should rest, I'll have a look around to find any food or medication," I said.

"Look for the Raven Berries. They contain unique healing properties. They're the purple and black ones. Don't take too long," Legion said.

I then left the area and head out to search for the berries. I head into the forest and the birds stood still, like time is frozen all the sudden. "Came to check on my progress, Aeon?" I asked.

"More of the opposite actually. You already know Eon has the fifth piece of the Arc Cube and you know what would happen if he or Seth gain the final piece," Aeon said.

"Don't you think I already know that?" I asked.

"My apologies, while you were training here. The surviving Light Gods have attended a meeting about whether we should help you or not," he said.

"Finally, we're getting some godly help," I said.

"I wish it were that simple, but many, including our current leader are reluctant to help you because of Legion," he said.

"Some of these issues are a million years old. Don't you think it's time to move on?" I asked.

"I agree with you on that assessment, but they're concerned about the consequences. About what if Legion becomes Dark Sai again or the aftermath will unleash another unspeakable evil. The Light Mother did everything she could to rid Legion of his influence. But some want assurances and unfortunately, we got none," he said.

"So we're on our own?" I asked.

"Pretty much, we will speak again," he said.

Time resumes after he disappeared. I found the Raven Berries, put them into a pouch and head back. Sometime later, Legion eats the berries and his strength begins to return. "Please tell me you didn't get into trouble?" Legion asked.

"No, but I had a meeting with Aeon. The Light Gods are reluctant to help us because of you," I answered.

"No surprises there due to our history," he said.

"What did you see?" I asked.

"I saw Galvan Prime burned to the ground, I saw a villain clutching the final piece of the Arc Cube fragment," he answered.

"The final Arc Cube is on Galvan Prime. I must return home to secure it," Azmuth said.

He teleports himself back to Galvan Prime. "We should head back to Earth," I suggested.

"No, we'll remain here. The vision gave me a glimpse of when we're needed. For now, we stay to finish your training," he said.

"I heard what you said. If Galvan Prime is in danger, we should head back to Earth to rejoin the other Guardians," I said.

"What then? If we don't take these next steps carefully, we all be dead. Let's continue, besides, we'll play our part soon, I promise," he said.

Onboard the Hyperion, Eon and Seth stood on the bridge, looking at the image of Galvan Prime on screen.

"I would never expect the Galvans to possess the final fragment," Seth said in disgust.

"I take it you're not too fond of the Galvan?" Eon asked.

"When the Multiverse was created, we objected to the creation of the Galvan. We said that such intellect is too dangerous for any universe and they're weak and cowardly. And I'll prove it to you once the attack begins. I'll in the hangar bay addressing the troops." Seth leaves the bridge and heads down to the hangar bay. In the bay, the X'Andi and android troops were eager to fight. Seth arrives and he gives his address. "For too long, the galaxy has denied you of everything. Your slaves, your weapons and a world to colonise. Today we'll be the day when we show this galaxy what the X'Andi are and how the return of the Elder Ones will bring about a new age of prosperity and order. We'll cleanse this galaxy and the multiverse of its lies and show them that Earth Prime is the one true Earth," Seth addressed.

The X'Andi roared with thunderous praise as they board the ships and head down to Galvan Prime. At Plumber Headquarters, the Supreme Commander gets a message from Earth regarding the location of the Hyperion. "Number Two, get me every available Plumber we got. We got a problem," the Commander said.


	4. Chapter 4

Four

The Siege

The Commander enters the operations centre for the Plumber Corp. He looks at the holographic display and he sees the X'Andi fleet and the Hyperion orbiting Galvan Prime. He is not impressed.

"We got confirmation of the X'Andi presence. We're sending ships to assist the Galvan," Number Two said.

"Still it's not enough. Everyone get to your battle stations. This fight has got a lot personal," the Commander said.

Back on Earth, in the Mystery Men Mansion, I attended a meeting with the other Guardians, minus Ben and Legion. "You're absolutely sure he's there?" Dr. Nexus asked.

"Definitely, that's where the final piece of the Arc Cube is," Blake said.

"I don't know, it's a long shot," Carter said.

"Excuse me, there's a Max Tennyson in the foyer," Phoebe said.

"Send him in," Trent said.

Max enters the conference room. "I got bad news; Eon has launched a major offensive on Galvan Prime. The Galvan are holding out as long as they can. The Plumbers are en route, but they won't make it in time," Max said.

The phone rang and Trent puts it on speaker. "I was wondering when you lot were going to pick up. I just received the same news the Supreme Commander has told Max. The Yamato is ready to go," Eli said.

"Good timing, we need to get to Galvan Prime immediately," Dania said.

"Hold up, we need a plan here. There's no telling what's happening now," I said.

"Rex is right, we can't rush in," Dr. Nexus said.

"We should split into two teams. The first team will storm the Hyperion, find Eon and his ally and end this. The second team will head down to Galvan Prime to secure the final Arc Cube fragment and provide support." Everyone is surprised when I suggested the idea. "Hey, ever since they showed up, I thought to myself, what would Ben or any of you would do. It's my turn to step up to the plate," I said.

"I got to admit, this multiverse has produced some of the best heroes to date," Max said.

"I'm sending some of my agents to assist you and a couple of Plumbers will be joining you," Eli said.

"I'll take the first team consisting of me, Blake, Sylvia and Dania to board the Hyperion and take it down. If I had to guess, they're using the ship as a mobile command centre," Trent said.

"I'll lead the second team and hit Galvan Prime. Just say the word and we're good to go," I said.

Sometime later, I was onboard a shuttle, consisting of myself, Dr. Nexus, Carter, a small band of Plumbers and Special Projects agents. Gwen, Kevin and Rook are also onboard. Carter sharpens his sword and puts it away.

"Do you have to sharpen your sword?" Rook asked.

"When you're a Plumber Elite, it's best to come prepared. Even if the odds are stacked against you. It's something my dad taught me from a young age," Carter answered.

"So what's the plan here and who's in charge?" Kevin asked.

"I am. The goal is secure the final Arc Cube fragment and prevent it falling into Eon's hands. According to the latest reports, everywhere on Galvan Prime is a battle zone. We'll be landing near the capital. We'll be making contact with Commander Pog, who's leading the forces," I said.

"And you are?" Gwen said.

"His name is Rex Salazar, also known as Generator Rex," Dr. Nexus said.

"Ben mentioned you once and speaking of that, where he is?" she asked.

"Last I heard he's still on Tao," Carter said.

"Sirs, we got a situation. The capital is hot zone and the landing area is swarming with X'Andi and androids," the pilot said.

"All right, get us close to the capital as you can," I said.

Carter then gets up. "Change of plans, I'm going in to clear the area out. How long until we make landfall?" he asked.

"Five minutes tops," the pilot answered.

Carter heads to a locker, gets some gear out and puts it one. "You have got to be kidding me? You're thinking about doing a orbital drop out of a moving shuttle and land in the capital?" Kevin asked.

"I am. It's the only choice we got. If we don't do something sooner or later, we'll be dead," Carter said.

"Go for it. We'll be waiting," I said.

Carter heads into the airlock and closes the door behind him. The pilot opens the hatch and Carter then jumps out of the shuttle and begins the orbital drop. In the capital, Commander Pog and his forces are holding the X'Andi and android forces at bay. "I would never imagine Galvan Prime to become a warzone. Captain, what's the word on those reinforcements I requested?" Pog asked.

"The enemy is jamming our communications. We can't even get through to the headquarters. The civilians have been evacuated," the captain answered.

"Man, I picked a bad day to fight a war." Pog notices something fall out of the sky. He grabs a pair of binoculars; he looks through them and recognises Carter. "Well I'll be. Listen up, there's a Plumber Elite heading our way and we got to hold the line until he gets here," he said.

They hold the line just as Carter lands and he manages to take out a squadron. "You're pretty quick. It usually takes a being minutes to settle down after performing an orbital drop," Pog said.

"I'm Carter Tavistock and we've sent to retrieve an artefact," Carter said.

"We?" The shuttle lands and we got out. "Oh, you lot must be the reinforcements?" Pog asked.

"More or less, what's the situation?" I asked.

"All of it not good. One minute, the capital becomes a warzone, the next, the entire planet gets bombed," he answered.

"Have you tried to reach command?" Rook asked.

"We've tried, but the enemy is jamming our communications. I already got my best techs looking into the matter," he answered.

"Sir, we've managed to track down the source. There's a tower five klicks east of the capital that's emitting a signal to jam our communications," one of the techs said.

"Well, it looks like we got our next objective. I know you lot got your own mission, but we currently short on people and we can use more people," Pog said.

"No problem, I, along with some volunteers will be happy to assist you," Rook said.

"Thanks, my name is Commander Pog and this is my second-in-command, Captain Zoro. Lock and load people, we got a jamming tower to take down," Pog said.

We split up and they head over to the jamming tower. "So this is Galvan Prime, huh? And they say it's an intellectual's paradise," Carter said.

"Far from it, Carter Tavistock," Azmuth said.

Gwen and Kevin are happy to see him. "It's good to see you, Azmuth," Gwen said.

"The same can be said, Gwen Tennyson and you too, Kevin," Azmuth said.

"So where's the Arc Cube fragment?" I asked.

"It's in an art gallery of all places. Derrick thought it was just some long lost Galvan art, little did he realise it was an Elder One artefact," he answered.

"You know the capital inside and out. Which way is it to the art gallery?" Carter asked.

We then began to follow Azmuth and made our way to the art gallery. We were near the entrance when Black Knight showed up. "I'll handle this. Get to the fragment." The others then entered the gallery. "You and I have a score to settle," I said.

"On that we agree. I've gotten a lot better since our last confrontation," she said.

We engaged in a duel. In the gallery, the others met up with Derrick and the gallery is falling apart. "Well Derrick, is it safe?" Azmuth asked.

"It is for now," Derrick answered.

Dr. Nexus then senses something. "He's here and he knows we're here," he said.

"Wait, who's here?" Gwen asked.

Seth arrives in the gallery. A group of Galvan tried to go in for the attack, but Seth kills them with a single thought. Gwen is shocked to see it happened. "And they didn't even put up a fight," she said.

"I know," Seth said.

"Okay, who is that?" Kevin asked.

"You must be Seth, I thought I would never meet an Elder One in person," Dr. Nexus answered.

"Even in the future, the weaker species dominates the galaxy and the multiverse. No matter, I'll correct it once the other Elder Ones are free," Seth said.

"Get the fragment and get out of here. He is more powerful than Eon combined," Dr. Nexus said.

"You're right, his power level is unlike anything I've seen," she said.

"I'll join you as soon as I can. Now go!" They, along with Derrick and the fragment flee the gallery. He then draws out his sword and gets into position. "You'll pay for what you did to Ledger Domain, monster," Dr. Nexus said.

"You really are eager to die today, aren't you, boy?" Seth asked.

Seth draws out his two dual swords and they begin to fight. Somewhere in the city, Rook, Commander Pog and the rest of the squads take out the soldiers guarding the jamming tower. "Now that's big," Captain Zoro said.

"All right people, let's make this count. Boomer, Lemmy, watch our six. Tag, Roller, set up defences on the west side of the tower. Zoro and Lint will cover the east side. Boxer, get to work on setting those demolition charges. I and Rook have got your back," Pog ordered.

Everyone then gets into their positions as Boxer sets up the demolition charges. "I sure hope the others are having better luck," Rook said.

"At the end of the day, it better be worth it. I'm sorry about your world. I know what its like to lose your planet to a group of merciless barbarians. We better pray that this war will end. How are you doing with the charges, Boomer?" Pog asked.

"Almost there, got it. We better get clear," Boomer answered.

They fled the area as the tower got blown up and collapsed. Everyone celebrated at their success. "I love it when a plan comes together. Command, this is Commander Pog of the Unit 867, are you receiving this, over?" he asked.

"We're reading you loud and clear, Commander. Good job on taking out that jamming tower. What's the situation like on Galvan Prime? Have you made contact with the Guardians?" the Supreme Commander asked.

"Affirmative, they should be at the gallery already. We better hope that didn't run into trouble," he answered.

"I wish it were that simple. I've just made contact with the other Guardians. They began making a run for the Hyperion," the Supreme Commander said.

"Good, if they take out the Hyperion. Then it'll be over, Commander Pog out." He hangs up on the Commander and puts his commanding officer on the line. "General Li, this is Commander Pog here. We've taken out the jamming tower," he said.

"Yeah, we can see the destruction from here. Hopefully, we should get a clear line of communication to our remaining forces on the planet. Hang on, I'm getting a message, Plumber Agent Daniels is requesting evac. His ship, with him and his squad in it have crashed not far from your location," General Li said.

Pog then sees the smoke. "Yeah, we can see it from here. We'll take up the task," he said.

"Good, General Li out," Li said.

"Okay people, we got our next objective," he said.

"You lot go on ahead. I'll head back to the other Guardians," Rook said.

"Good luck, Rook," he said.

Back at the gallery, Dr. Nexus and Seth were duelling and it's a draw. "Why are you doing this? What is it you hope to achieve?" Dr. Nexus said.

Seth kicks Dr. Nexus across the room. He slams into the wall and falls to the ground. "This is about brining balance to this fragile universe. Balance that the other four races and you lot wouldn't understand. The fragment is nearby," Seth answered.

Somewhere in the city, the others stop for a moment as Carter notices something. "Something's not right. There's no way it could gone this quiet," Carter said.

"I can no longer sense Ken. I don't like it," Gwen said.

They then heard something and they saw Dr. Nexus walking up to them. "It's me, I barely escaped with my life. Seth is still out there. Are you all right, Gwendolyn?" he asked.

Carter gets a explosive arrow, fires it and it explodes in front of him. Gwen is shocked to see what Carter had done. "That's my brother, Carter. How could you?" she asked.

"Wait for it." The smoke clears and the imposters shape shifts back into Deviation. "That's what I thought. The Dr. Nexus I know wouldn't go all formal," Carter answered.

"I'm impressed you were able to deduce my identity, Agent Tavistock. If you lot be so kind, hand over the Arc Cube fragment," it said.

"Not going to happen," he said.

"Then you leave me no choice." Deviation then goes in for the attack. A couple of Plumbers tried to fight it, but they weren't successful. Kevin successfully lands a punch in Deviation's face. It sends him and he lands back on his feet. "I'm impressed. No one hasn't been able to land a punch on me, until now," Deviation said.

Kevin and Deviation fought. Back at the gallery, Dr. Nexus gets up as Rook and I run up to him. "What happened?" I asked.

"Seth was here. He's going after the others," Dr. Nexus answered.

"If that's the case, we got no time to lose," Rook said.

We left the gallery and head over to the others. Kevin struggles to defeat Deviation. "Please give up. Resistance is futile," it said.

"That's ironic coming from a machine. I've heard about your fight with Tennyson. I've heard how Eon created you. The question you should be asking yourself is: why is he doing this? Is it for humanity's benefit or is it because he's a puppet?" Kevin said.

"Goodbye." I intercept the attack by using my powers to gain access into Deviation's memory core. "Error, programming has become corrupted. Accessing repressed memories," it said.

"Not so tough, are you?" I asked.

We then arrived just as Seth uses his powers to prevent us from moving. "I'll ask for the last time. Hand over my fragment," Seth said.

"Seth!" a voice shouted.

He turns around and notices Legion standing there. "So the rumours are true. The Dark Gods did survive. Hello, blasphemer," he said.

"I can't say I'm looking forward to this encounter. But this ends now," Legion said.

"Will it? We shall see," he said.

He and Legion engaged in a fight to the death. "After all these years. You still don't see what we're trying to accomplish," he said.

"At the cost of wiping out all life?" Legion said.

"We could've restore Earth Prime and this fragile universe. But instead, you lot chose to wipe us out of the history books. Now, look how close we are," he said.

"What you're doing we'll never be the answer," Legion said.

"You seem to contradict yourself. Dark Sai thought differently," he said.

"He became delusional. Even a leader sees the folly of this plan," Legion said.

"I'm going to enjoy making you suffer." Seth throws a punch, followed by a kick and he throws Legion into a statue. "Do you have any idea what it's like to be imprisoned in that godforsaken dimension?" He then slams him into the ground. "For over a billion years, we suffered because of your arrogance," he said.

"It wasn't my decision to make. King Zale and the others knew of the threat your so-called plan posed. I am truly sorry for your suffering. Even now, past mistakes such as mine and your Empress's are irreconcilable. Can ask you one thing, abandon this plan, undo the damage you caused to Julie and end this war before more death and suffering is brought about," Legion said.

Seth then picks Legion up by throat and holds him high. "You dare speak blasphemy about my Empress. I would kill you for that, but I rather let her disperse justice to you," he said.

Carter fires another explosive arrow at him. "Put him down," Carter said.

"You think that a simple bow and arrow can stop me?" he asked.

"No, but with Rex and the Sorcerer Mage. What've we got to lose. Get going, we'll buy you some time," Carter said.

"But," Gwen said.

"No buts sister. Now go," Dr. Nexus said.

They escaped as we fought Seth. Somewhere in the city, the others ran to the dock. Gwen cries over what's happened. "Such sacrifice, if Legion's here. Then that mean Ben is on board the Hyperion. We must keep moving to the hangar bay," Azmuth said.

They arrived at the hangar bay, only to ambushed, Deviation phases through the group and grabs the Arc Cube fragment. "Seth, I got the fragment," Deviation said.

"Teleport back to the Hyperion. I'll be there shortly with some guests," Seth said over the radio.

"Of course," it said.

Deviation then teleports onto the Hyperion. The others are frustrated by their failure.

"We failed. It's up to them now," Gwen said.


	5. Chapter 5

Five

The Arrival

Everything was silent in the lab on board the Hyperion; Alonso then notices something is wrong. "Hmm, no guards, that can mean one thing. They found the final Arc Cube fragment," he said.

"That's not good," Paradox coughed.

"Take it easy, you've been through a lot," he said.

"There's no need to worry about me. Besides, I survived worst," Paradox said.

"Define worst?" he asked.

"Well, there's this one time when I was in the forty first century when I found myself in a," Paradox answered.

"Okay that's enough. If the Guardians don't get here soon, then we'll be history," he said.

On board a shuttle, a joint Plumber/Guardian taskforce is heading towards the Hyperion when the Mighty Rider notices it on screen.

"It looks like you were right, Blake. There it is, the Hyperion," the Mighty Rider said.

"Look at the size of that thing. It's massive," Dania said.

"I'm picking up traces of chronologic energy and its fading," Phoebe said.

"It must be Paradox. He's dying. Phoebe, search for an access point where we can land the shuttle?" he ordered.

"There are several entrances. We're nearly close to starboard hangar entrance. However, there's a problem. We got incoming fighters heading our way," Phoebe said.

"I knew this was too easy," Solaris said.

"Alert, we got fighters on our six," Phoebe said.

"We need to hurry and get on board the Hyperion," Dania said.

"Phoebe, try to hack their firewalls and get those starboard hangar doors open," he said.

"Their firewall is advanced. If I keep going, I'll short out my circuits." They then notice the hangar doors open. "That was weird," Phoebe said.

"That was you, wasn't you?" he asked.

"No, hang on. I'm getting a message, you might want to hear this," Phoebe answered.

"Hey guys, I thought you might want those doors open. You better hurry up before the fighters come crashing in on us," I said.

They flew into the hangar at the last moment and crashed. I shut the hangar doors, leaving the fighters stranded. Everyone got out of the ship. "Your timing couldn't be perfect, Ben," the Mighty Rider said.

"Thanks. When we heard about Galvan Prime, we thought it would be better to split up," I said.

"Let me guess, Legion is on Galvan Prime, somewhere," Dania said.

"Apparently," I said.

"Eli, we made on board the Hyperion," the Mighty Rider said.

"Roger that, I'll forward it to Plumber command," Eli said over the radio.

One of the Plumbers inspects the ship. "Ah nuts, the engine is busted and there's a breach in the shuttle's port hull. There's no way we can get off the Hyperion," a Plumber said.

"It looks like the escape plan has got a lot complicated," Solaris said.

"We'll worry about that later," the Mighty Rider said.

Blake gets his laptop out and plugs into a terminal. "Phoebe, I'm connecting you to a terminal. Be ready," he said.

"I'm downloading the ship's schematics and I've made some discoveries. The ship, the Hyperion is from the fifty second century," Phoebe said.

"Hang on, Eon has got himself a ship from the future," another Plumber asked.

"I thought that was you, Manny. It's good to see you again," I said.

"I wish this reunion was under better circumstances," Manny said.

"The ship has several unique features. Not only can it travel back and forth through time. It can also travel between multiverses," Phoebe said.

"That would explain how they were able to gather the Arc Cube fragments with ease. Can you locate where Paradox is being held?" he asked.

"Paradox is being held in a lab on deck 34 and he isn't alone," Phoebe answered.

"Well, that changes things completely. We split into team to cover more ground. Phoebe, have you located where Eon is?" I asked.

"He's on the bridge along with his bride," Phoebe answered.

"That's it, he's gone too far," I said.

"Ben, I and Solaris will head up to the bridge," the Mighty Rider said.

"I, Dania and the Plumbers got the labs covered. Good hunting," Blake said.

On the bridge, I Solaris and the Mighty Rider stormed the bridge to find Eon not there. The Mighty Rider grabs one of the crew. "Where's Eon?" he asked.

"You only have to look no further." I used the Omnitrix to change into Rath. I tried to attack, but he counters it by throwing me across. "I thought by now you learned to control that temper of yours," Eon said.

"That's rich coming from someone who's bent on universal domination," the Mighty Rider said.

"It's never been about ruling the universe. It's been about finding peace," Eon said.

He and the Mighty Rider engage in a fight, while Solaris takes out the crew. "Since our last encounter, I picked up some tricks," he said.

They fought for a while. In the lab, the others burst in. Blake immediately recognises Alonso. "Wait, I know you. You're that person the Sliders were pursuing," Blake said.

"Were?" Alonso asked in confusion.

"They've been disbanded. Phoebe, what can you tell us about the lab and the contraption Paradox is plugged in?" Blake asked.

"The contraption is rare alternative to recharge power sources. The source i.e. the Arc Cube in this case is absorbing Paradox's chronologic energy. If he dies, then the Arc Cube will be inert and useless," Phoebe answered.

"No biggie, we just kill Paradox and it'll be over," Manny said.

"Manny!" Helen yelled.

"Given that the technology is from the fifty second century. It'll be difficult to figure out how to unplug Paradox from there without killing him," Blake said.

"I might be able to help. I've seen some of the guards and lab technicians use the terminal you're standing in front of. The problem there is that the terminal has a lock. It only recognises the DNA of the crew," Alonso said.

"Okay, we just need to find ourselves a guard and we should be. Oh man, what is that stench?" Dania asked.

"Oh no, Sludge is here," Blake said.

Sludge enters the room, picks Blake up and throws him across the room. "Well now, not only the Guardians are on board, but I get my playmate, the Gauntlet," he said.

Manny is shocked to hear what Sludge said. "Wait a minute, you mean to tell us the geek is The Gauntlet, the seven foot tall crystallised gauntlet wearing monster of mass destruction. You lot forgot to mention that during the debriefing," Manny said.

Blake then transforms into the Gauntlet, picks Sludge up and throws him out of the room. "Dania, find a way to shut the contraption off. I'll keep Sludge busy," Gauntlet said.

He then leaves the room. Dania gets Blake's laptop out and plugs it into the terminal. "Phoebe, can you hack the lock?" she asked.

"I'll try," Phoebe said.

Back on the bridge, I got up and fought Eon. "Now this is more like it," Eon said.

"Three against one, this should be easy," I asked.

"On the contrary," Julie said.

Fear suddenly struck Ben when Julie entered the room. Solaris flew into her and the two of them of fought, while we resumed our fight with Eon. "Using Julie as a shield won't win you the fight, Eon," the Mighty Rider said.

"You think that this is about conflict? I'm doing what you, Ben and the other Guardians refuse to do. Restore order and peace to this fragile multiverse." The alarms then go off. "Computer, what is happening?" Eon asked.

"Someone is trying to hack into the DNA lock in the lab and Sludge has engaged the Gauntlet in one of the hangars," it answered.

"Well, it wouldn't be an adventure if the Gauntlet wasn't around," I said.

In one of the hangars, Sludge and the Gauntlet fought as they wrecked the hangar. "Look at you. You think being a hero will give you recognition. You will always be a monster. Just ask Heather," Sludge said.

The Gauntlet grabs Sludge, slams him to the ground a couple of times and it renders him unconscious. He then changes back into Blake. "Next time, keep my wife out of this." He then founds himself surrounded by soldiers. "Oh boy," Blake said.

In the lab, Phoebe was able to hack the locks. "All right," Dania said.

"On the contrary." Lord Zero then enters the room. "I don't know how you lot got on board, but you won't escape here alive," he said.

"Manny, get Alonso and Paradox out of here,"

More soldiers enter the lab and surround them. "It's over," Lord Zero said.

"Is it? You think you're doing for a piece of the world. The truth is, both Seth and Eon care about is restoring Earth Prime and they want to use portions of your Earth to do it. And they'll be nothing left," Dania said.

"Hmm, take the prisoners to the bridge. I'll join you shortly," Lord Zero said.

Somewhere in the galaxy, Aeon is meeting with the Light Priestess, leader of the Light Gods to discuss current events. "It's been years since I last saw you, Aeon. It was at the end of the Infinity War I believe?" she asked.

"Yes it was. I come bearing news and its not good. The Elder One known as Seth is nearly close to releasing the other Elder Ones free," Aeon said.

"This is not good. We're still paying the price for our mistakes," the Light Priestess said.

"I know, your mother wouldn't want to wallow on past sins. Even Legion is out there, carrying on his great-grandfather's work," Aeon said.

"No, I will not doom us to extinction. He's a Dark God and he's the enemy. We will not speak of this no further," she said.

"You allow scars like this to run deep. Many other Light Gods begin to question your leadership. If you're going keep being a leader, then its times to act like one." Aeon then receives a vision and it does not look good. "There's a matter I need to attend to. Don't think that this talk is over," he said.

Aeon then leaves the cave; he then notices a crow standing on the ground as it eats a worm and flies away. It gives Aeon an idea. Back on the Hyperion, Eon, I and the Mighty Rider were in the midst of a fight when Seth, Deviation and our teammates showed up. I was shocked to see them hurt. We then stopped fighting and we surrendered.

"I take it your mission was a success?" Eon asked.

Seth then throws Legion to the ground and he shows us the final Arc Cube fragment. He then uses his power to teleport the rest of the cube and the Star of Okath to the bridge. "What has he done to you, Legion?" I asked.

Not long after, Blake and the rest of the group arrived. "At last, everything is complete. With this final fragment, I will restore the Elder One Empire to its former glory," Seth said.

"Thank you for clearing something up. I'd always had a suspicion about you, Seth. You're maniacal as me. But destroying the universe will not bring dominance. Stand down before I have to put you down myself." Van Rook then surrounds Lord Zero and he removes his sword off him. "So everything comes to together. Even a loyal servant knows no bound," Lord Zero said.

Seth then places the final fragment into place. The cube then powers the Star up. Dr. Nexus then senses something and he becomes terrified. "Portals are opening up everywhere across the multiverses. The Elder Ones are coming through," Dr. Nexus said.

A portal then opens up in front of us. The Empress and her guard come through. Seth then bows to her. "My Empress," Seth said.

"On behalf of me and the Elder One Empire, we thank you for releasing us. You have been a loyal servant to the cause," the Empress said.

"I brought you a gift, a blasphemer," Seth said.

She then looks down at Legion. She searches his body and finds the tattoos. "Zale did bore heirs after all." She then telekinetically picks him up. "And he's a hybrid. He will suffer for the pain his ancestors caused." She then slams him across the room. "For a billion years, we were imprisoned in that godforsaken dimension. We suffered day and night, being stuck in a timeless dimension because of our plan. Well, no more," she said.

She then slams him back to the ground. "That was uncalled for. He didn't deserve it," I said.

"You have no idea what his kind done to us," she said.

"Like imprisoning you lot for trying to destroy the multiverse. Well, that sums it up all right," Dr. Nexus said.

"Now then, we got one thing last thing to take care of. What do you with you lot? An execution should do it. With you lot gone, they'll be no one left to challenge my rule," she said.

Aeon then appears, gets out of his chair and fights off the Elder Ones. "Not today, your highness," he said.

She then becomes enraged. "Execute that blasphemer," she ordered.

Aeon dodges their attacks and defeats them. "This is far from over. You're outmatched and outnumbered. As I speak, the Elder Ones are spreading out through the multiverse like a fire. If you want to defeat them, then you're going to need a lot of help. I'm splitting you lot up," Aeon said.

He then uses his powers to separate the Guardians and scatter them across the multiverse. On board the Yamato, the alarms were going off as Eli stares at the monitors. "Walsh, what is happening?" Eli asked.

"We're getting reports of multiple portals opening up everywhere. They match the descriptions of the intel the Shadow Guard collected," Agent Walsh answered.

"Sir, we just lost the entire Guardians' vital signs," a helmsman said.

"They failed," Eli said.

"This is Plumber Supreme Commander; I'm issuing a full evac order on all ships orbiting Galvan Prime. Fall back to Earth, Galvan Prime has fallen, I repeat Galvan Prime has fallen. The Elder Ones are free," he said over the radio.

On Earth, the Elder Ones began to take everything by force as the invasion begins. Max looks in horror as the Earth falls into the hands of the Elder Ones.

The End?


End file.
